Letting Go
by Sokorra Lewis
Summary: After searching for the Ark of Truth, Tomin comes to the realization that his marriage to Vala is over. Spoilers for Seasons 9-10 and Ark of Truth. complete


Title: Letting Go  
Fandom: Stargate: SG-1  
Spoilers: Seasons 9-10, in particular Crusade, Flesh and Blood, Line in the Sand, and Ark of Truth. Basically anything with Tomin in it  
Characters/Pairings: Tomin, Daniel/Vala, background SG-1 including Jack  
Rating: PG ...or G. Not sure.  
Warnings: None.  
Summery: Tomin realizes his marriage to Vala is over, that Vala has a new life.

* * *

Tomin wasn't sure why he had held onto his marriage so long as he did. After all, he knew that his wife didn't respect his beliefs, and the simple fact that they had held on to their separate ideas of right so long would have strained and broken the relationship without any other factors involved.

But he knew of the other factors. The first was the new home she had created on Earth. She had friends, a family to replace the one he knew she had lost long ago and wouldn't talk about. Two brothers in Cameron Mitchell and Teal'c. Teal'c had to fit the oldest brother in this analogy by attitude alone but he wasn't sure if Cameron was older than younger then Vala. She never did admit her real age. Then there was Samantha Carter, a sister. And a Jack, whom he had never met, whom Vala seemed to talk about with fondness, usually tied in a story with Sam or Daniel.

Daniel Jackson. He's the one person amongst Vala's new family that Tomin couldn't see as a relative. It was all too easy to see them as a couple, even though he knew they weren't. He had asked both her and Teal'c. But there were little signs that it wouldn't take much for them to be such.

He watched them during the entire mission to find the ark. The little moments here and there that spoke of Vala's care for this man and the mutual feelings that she received back. They argued, and argued a lot. But everyone could tell there was no real anger in the arguments. Annoyance, yes, but not true anger.

Vala trusted this man implicitly. He knew this as soon as she told him about the Ark. Coming out of anyone else's mouth, she would have just raised an eyebrow and thought them to be hallucinating or otherwise crazy. But not so with this man. She believed he had visions, believed he would find this ark of truth. It was a matter of time. She made jokes, and laughed about things. She made sarcastic comments, but underneath it all was the one thing he had lost when he had left her to sit for three days in the town center: complete and utter trust.

He still remembers that feeling he had watching Vala and Dr. Jackson walking out of their room together two years ago. How betrayed. He knew later that nothing had happened, at least not in the minds of others. But he looked into Daniel Jackson's eyes when he aimed for him, and he saw Vala step in front of the blast. It didn't take a genius to realize that there was something happening, even if it was only in the back of their minds.

But the little moments on this mission to find the ark proved to him more then anything that he had lost his wife to this man. Little moments like her gasp when he introduced her as his wife. She'd clearly thought they were no longer married. He had gotten that message quite clearly though he tried to ignore it. Then there was the plea in her voice when she asked him to help her find Daniel and the second later jumping away from him when he announced he was there. She cared for him, yes, but just not enough to be what he wanted her to be.

And the fact that the two seemed to learn how to communicate without words. Vala knew just from a look that she needed to distract Adria while Dr. Jackson finished imputing the right password into the device.

Somehow, that let him know what was going to happen. Vala was not going to leave Earth and come back home. He had known that before, but he still had to ask. But he knew, perhaps more than even she did the reason why she was staying. So when he said his goodbyes to SG-1, whom he now respected now that he knew the truth, he made a point to tell Daniel Jackson to keep care of Vala.

And as he said the words, he knew he had finally acknowledged his marriage to Vala was at an end. But as she hugged him goodbye, he felt good about letting go. Vala was happier here. She was freer. These people cared for her, loved her like he did but gave her the ability to be what she deserved to be. What he couldn't give her.

And hopefully, one day, his heart will heal, and he'd find someone to fill the places in his heart the Vala once did. Someone who made him as happy as Dr Jackson did for Vala. But for now, he had a mission to do. To take what he learned from the SGC and Vala's friends and give that knowledge to his people. To start saving people instead of killing them. To make Vala proud of him.


End file.
